Plexiglas shaping machine



April 5, 1949. L. T SCHULER 2,466,045

PLEXIGLAS SHAPING MACHINE Filed Nov. 20, 1946 /7 a: It." ,7, a 37 INVENTOR. 50 7!" 5040159 Patented Apr. 5, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 3 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a shaping or routing machine, and more particularly to a machine for routing the edge of Plexiglas where fastening strips are to be placed.

Heretofore, the edge routing of Plexiglas was generally accomplished by free-hand and with the use of an airmotor, which was tiresome and also inaccurate and resulted in spoiling a good deal of the Work. In properly equipped shops and depots, such edge routing was also done by the use of cumbersome and costly machines. In either case, the setup for routing Plexiglas required an extra length of time, usually necessitating the making of a particular jig for each piece difierently curved or shaped.

An essential object of this invention is to provide an efficient and accurately operating routing or shaping machine which is inexpensive and light, so as to be readily obtainable, easily transportable and also quickly adjustable for use, and which is especially well adapted for routing the edge of Plexiglas where the fastening strips are to be placed.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a routing machine which can be rapidly set up and adjusted, and the work can be quickly done on a Plexiglas routing job, in a fraction of the time heretofore required with the formerly known and used methods and the expensive and complicated machines, in order to effect considerable saving in time and labor.

Another object of this invention is to provide a compact shaper which is light in weight and small in size and is entirely capable of replacing the previously used costly machines in routing Plexiglas, so as to be well adapted for overseas work.

These and various other objects and advantages are attained with this invention as will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein the invention is shown in its preferred form, it being evident that other arrangements and forms of construction may be resorted to in carrying out the objects and purposes of this invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of this invention, parts being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is an end view taken from the routing end of the machine.

be readily replaceable by another routing element that is best suited for the particular job, and it is in the form of a, rotary cutter having a plurality of cutting edges or blades I4 around itsv peripheral surface.

A cutter having six to ten cutting edges or blades thereon is quite suitable for this Work, and when rotated at approximately 7,000 R. P. M. will produce very favorable results. A high routing speed is preferable, so that each blade takes a very light cut, and the higher the speed, the smoother the cut.

A work supporting unit I5 is provided in this machine, and it is mounted so as to be adjustable relative to the routing unit ill, in order to place the work or article which is to be routed into its.

proper position relative to the routing element, for effecting the desired depth and width of the rout or step [6 that is being out along the edge of the sheet of material or piece of Work I1. This supporting unit 15 preferably includes a movable member l8 whereby the work is supported and whereupon it travels during operation, and. bracket means or supporting means 19 whereon,

said movable member i8 is adjustably mounted and which itself is mounted so as to be adjustable relative to the routing unit l0.

These two units l0 and I5 are mounted and arranged so that one is adjustable relative to the other, and this adjustable arrangement, as disclosed herein, is provided by mounting the supporting unit [5 adjustably relative to the routing unit It! held stationary. This is preferably accomplished by the use of a support in the form of a baseplate 2|, having the motor H mounted stationary on said plate, as by a front block or saddle 22 secured on plate 2| by bolts 23 and engaging the forward part of the motor, and by clasping means including a lower block or saddle 24 secured by bolts 25 upon said plate 2 I, and an upper block 26 secured by bolts 21 onto said block 24, thereby clasping the motor between said.

This element is preferablymounted in the chuck 13 of the motor, so as to.

blocks and retaining it in position on the base- .plate 2|. In this adjustable arrangement the bracket means I9 includes an upright arm or bar 28 having a lower angle bar or foot 29 thereon which rests on the baseplate 2| and which includes a depending flange or toe 30 engaged in a channel 31 provided in said plate -21. 'bolt 32 has its head 3'3 slidably seated in-"a pair of grooves 34 provided on the two opposite sides of the bottom of said channel 3|, said bolt extending from the channel through a bore in-said foot 29, while the nut 35 on the bolt serves to secure the bracket means in place. This channel-3:! and the toe 30 therein provide cooperating guide means between the bracket lBand'dihe "plate 2l, and these together with the securing bolt alprovide a convenient adjustment of the supporting unit l5 toward and away from the routing nini t I0, whereby to adjust the machine for providing the selected Width of theirout.

The 'work supporting member 18 is preferably in the form of a roller 31 which "is rotatively mounted upon a bushing 38 held'ona .bd1't-:39 which extends through a slot 40 provided in :said arm 28 of bracket l9, this ibolt being threaded in a clamping chuck 4| having bent ends and clasping the arm 28. 1

at right angles to said foot portion, said vertical portion having an opening through which said routing cutter extends, a guide portion formed on the underside of the foot of said angle bracket and a cooperating guide portion formed in said base and extending longitudinally thereof for adiusting isaid angle bracket on :said base axially with respect to said cutter, -'a bolt extending through the base of said angle bracket and through said guide portions to lock said angle bracket orrsaid base in the longitudinally adjust'ed position, a guide-roller bearing-stud sup- :morted in .a vertical slot in the vertically extending,portion of said bracket and in the same vertical plane as the motor shaft and below said motor shaft, a nut on the end of said stud for securing said stud in a selected vertical position,

' ---.and a guide rollerrdtatable on said stud.

The routing element 12 extends through .an

enlarged aperture "42 provided at the upper apart of slot '40, and said element projec'ts above the work supporting roller 31, so that the edge part of the work or article I", like a "strip or sheet of Plexiglas, may be supported-on s'aidrolleriand moved thereover, directly beneath said routing element, to have the selected-st'ep'or r'out l ii 'cut upon said edge part, according to the particular shape and size desired.

With this economical construction, by -adjusting the roller 31 upor down-on arm 2 8, toward -or away from the routing element ='l-2,th'e'depth=or thickness of the rout may be readily adjusted; and'similarly, by adjusting the bracket member l-Salong said guide means 30,31, towa'rd or away from the driving motor -l I, thewidthof the rout may be likewise adjusted, thereby providing"the desired dimensions of-th'erout. Herein the small routing element 12 can also "be readily removed from the chuck l3 and replaced by on'e 'o'f *the required shape and size to provide the particular form of rout desired.

This improved routing machine thus provides an inexpensive and compact mechanism which is economically constructed, so that it can be readily obtained and used for overseas duties and can replace the formercomplex and costly machines, and which is at the same time =readily-adjusted and operated for the various types of routing desired .on Plexiglas and the like.

'I'claim:

l. A routing machine, for routing theedge of-a sheet of materiakwhich consists of an'elongated base, a-motor secured to said base at one 'en d thereof, a motor shaft for said -'motor extending longitudinally of said base, a chuckcarriedon of said basehaving a foot portion resting on said base and a vertical portion-extending upwardly 2. A routing machina for routing the edge of a sheet of material, which consists of a base, a motor secured to :said 'ibase, a motor.shaftriiorisalid motor, a "chuck carried on said motor shaft, 4 a routing :cutter remova'bly held :in said chuck, an angle bracket on said base havingsaifoot p'ortion resting-on said :base and :a vertical aportion extending iupwardly 'at: right angles :to said foot portion, :said vertical portion having an opening through which said routing cutter cextends, a guide portion formed on the underside of the foot 'ofzsaid' angle bracket anda cooperating-guide portion :formedin said basefor adjusting v. said angle bracket on said base axially with respect to said cuttergmeans extending through .the base of saidangle bracket :and through :said :guide to lock said angle bracket on said basei'intthe axially adjusted position, a guide-roller bearing-stud supported in a verticalslotin the vertically BX- tending. portion 'of said bracket and vinxth'e same vertical plane as the 'motorshaft "-andrbelowrisaid motor-shaft, 'anut on the end of said stud $01 securing said stud in #a selected vertical' osition, and aguide roller rotatable onsaidsstud.

3. A routing machine, for "routing a sheet fol material, which xCOnSlSlJS :or :a base, .a :motor Jsecured to :said base, a motor shaft, a routing 1 cutterlremovably secured to said motor sha'ft to tate therewith, a bracket on said baserh'avingcan opening through which :sai'drrouting cutter -zextends, a guide on said bracket'and aacooperating guide on said base for a'djustingw-said Tbracket on said base axially with :respect to :said :cutter, means to lock -rsaid angle bracket on .said base in the axially adjusted :position, a guide-trolled bearing-stud having .its axis ,parallel with :the

motor shaft, carried on. said "bracketgmeans -to adjust said bearingstud axistoward or away-from the axis of the :motor shaft, anda guide roller. rotatableon said stud. I

=LEOT.=SCHULER.

' REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record :in athe file of this patent:

STATES PATENTS Number 'Name .Date "1,277,891 Evans .Sept. '3,1-918 2,140,120 7 "Toma'rin I Dec. .13, I938 

